Histoire d'O

Just Jaeckin's film version of the celebrated novel by Pauline Reage manages to completely miss the point of her work (by changing the ending, specifically), but taken purely as a movie has a certain amount of interest.

Corrine Clery plays 'O', a photographer who is taken by her boyfriend Rene (Udo Kier) to a sado-masochistic den where she willingly submits to physical and sexual abuse. 'O's motivation was much more obvious within the novel, but here it is secondary to the titallating spectacle of soft porn. Clery is not really the ideal 'O', either, her looks being too idealistic and her acting just too bad.

After a spell in the academy which serves to turn her into a total submissive she is practically sold on to Sir Stephen (50s pin-up Anthony Steel, of all people!) who is even more depraved and dominating than anyone else she has met. Perhaps the strongest sections of the film concern 'O's relationship with Sir S, but I wasn't convinced by the changed ending (powerful though it was from a movie standpoint). The cinematography is also attractive, particularly in its use of colour, and the French language version adds a certain mystique to the story.

As a teen I thought "Story of O" was a brilliant and strange masterpiece of erotic cinema. Today I can see it as a very pretty, although flawed work. Corinne Clery is good in the role of 'O', the delicately pretty young fashion photographer who initially wants nothing more than to be a slave to her lover, Rene. The film's opening scenes are impressive, to say the least. O's abduction in the Rolls Royce and her trip to Roissy, is a soft-focus wet dream, accompanied by lush, romantic music and beautiful surroundings. Roissy is a mens club, filled with beautiful, submissive women who only exist to please the members of this exclusive, other-worldly place. Roissy is a bit like a convent, very Gothic, where the women whisper and are dressed in garments that keep their sex on constant display. The sets are glorious; O's bed is covered with animal furs, and everywhere crystal chandeliers glitter in soft focus enchantment. While at Roissy O learns how to be an obedient slave, but she possesses a proud quality, bordering on arrogance, that she cannot always disguise. This quality is detected by some of the men, who develop strong feelings for her. The way Clery plays the part, as a submissive who is also aware of her power is very well done. O becomes steadily stronger as the film progresses, and after a time, her 'masters' begin to doubt their own power, as they realize that their desire for 'O' gives her the upper hand. It is at times fascinating to watch the tables turn, and to see the subtle changes in the story's heroine, as she begins to recognize her own power, and becomes more self-confidant because of it. Those who don't pay attention, and only look at the images of women in chains, being whipped, might mistake 'Story of O' for being sexist, when in fact, this is more of a feminist film in many ways. It has to be remembered that although the book was written by a woman, the film was directed by a man. Just Jaeckin was first and foremost a fashion photographer, who had quite an obsession for the beautiful female form. He is responsible for some of the most well-known erotic films to emerge from the 70's to early 80's, bringing famous erotic novels to the screen. Jaeckin has an eye for aesthetic beauty, and it is evident in "Story of O'. But at times it seems that he is more interested in soft focus female nudity than in the deeper meaning behind these classics. "Story of O' is certainly a cult classic, despite it being a flawed picture. For the most part it has dated better than "Emmanuelle", although a couple scenes are now unintentionally funny, such as a photo shoot featuring a model dressed in a Mickey Mouse top and swinging a light bulb to tacky 70's music. But that is just a 1 minute scene in a film that for the most part looks wonderful. Pierre Bachelet's lush score is gorgeous, romantic and haunting. There is now a wonderful DVD from France, which features two different versions of the film. The first is the English dubbed version, which i basically grew up watching. The dubbing is acceptable, and this version is around 10 minutes shorter. The longer, French language version with English subtitles is also contained here. Initially I was looking forward to seeing this more 'complete' version, but in the end was disappointed, as the new scenes were mostly of 'O' pouting and being coy with Rene, and even being whiny and immature. I understand why these scenes were cut, as they take away greatly from 'O's mystique. Showing less of her human side made her seem stronger, kind of 'otherworldy', not so much like a real woman, but rather like an unattainable heroine. Therefore I prefer the slightly cut version, even though it features the inferior English track. But the DVD is terrific, and offers the opportunity to see both versions and decide for yourself. As a side note, I must mention the character 'Nora', Sir Stephans maid; Wonderful casting; she is the most frightening character of all, somehow, and watching her relationship with 'O' develop from hatred and distrust, to this strange bond that the two women begin to share, which is expressed solely through eye contact, with few words spoken. These little details are so important. Fans of the book might miss the character Natalie, the young girl that is introduced late in the story. Perhaps including such a young girl in a film of this kind was a bit too much for censors in those days. Although not as strong as Radley Metzger's "The Image", I do recommend "Story of O". In all it's strangeness and otherworldly quality, it can be seen as a fairytale for adults. Like Alice In Wonderland, only the white rabbit is carrying a whip instead of a gold watch. It might be flawed somewhat, but it certainly is considered a cult classic, as well as a milestone of erotic cinema!

"Story of O" is luxuriant, nicely photographed, and Corinne Clery is quite appealing as a sensual actress…

The film is an adaptation of Pauline Reage's novel about a young girl called O and her entry into the art of loving… The special philosophy here is that women, by nature, are inferior to men and should therefore submit to their every emotion and desire. This is the only way for a woman to find ecstasy…

O falls in love with a practitioner of this doctrine, and is forced to go through quite a lot before he will take her in…

The treatment of eroticism is slow and careful… O is initiated into a house of bondage where the women are playthings for the male clientele… No talking or complaining is permitted... If the rules are broken, they are "punished" in the collar with whips and chains...

One can call this film a lot of things, but "subtle" isn't one of them… Still, it's not overly offensive either, despite its extremely one-sided view of femininity... It does have a seductive quality, and we are attracted into its exotic fact or assumption largely because of Corinne Clery's beauty and sensuality

Adapted from a famous erotic novel – with Sadean overtones – by Dominique Aury (writing as Pauline Reage), this came hot on the heels of director Jaeckin’s box-office smash EMMANUELLE (1974), and was itself followed by Shuji Terayama’s FRUITS OF PASSION (1981). I would also like to watch Jess Franco’s reworking of the same source material, THE SEXUAL STORY OF O (1981) – recently released on DVD through Severin.

Anyway, easily the best things about the film are the pleasing soft-focus photography and Pierre Bachelet’s haunting score. The stunning-looking Corinne Clery is ideally cast in the enigmatic title role – not so her male co-stars, stolid Udo Kier and a rather bemused Anthony Steel (Jaeckin originally wanted Christopher Lee who had actually played a similar role, briefly but effectively, in Franco’s superior EUGENIE...THE STORY OF HER JOURNEY INTO PERVERSION [1969]).

With too many characters involved but not enough explanation as to their particular motives, the film winds up being mostly uninvolving as a result: the female ‘victims’ are too easily willed into participating into the clandestine and degrading goings-on, as if they – and the viewing audience with them – are supposed to take all of this twaddle for granted (not to say seriously)! However, the finale – in which Clery is seen to have mastered her skills in playing the game and now matches her ‘superiors’ in every way – is a nice touch.

The Arrow R2 DVD I watched presents the film in an English-dubbed re-edited version prepared by Jaeckin himself (though the erotic content is said to be intact). Incidentally, I followed this with Radley Metzger’s similar but even more disturbing and explicit THE IMAGE (1976).

'The Story Of O' was one of the best known and most successful soft-core movies of the 1970s. While it reeks of kitsch appeal all these years later, it is actually a pretty good movie overall, and it still has some genuinely erotic moments. Corinne Clery ('Moonraker') plays the title character simply referred to as 'O'. She is absolutely beautiful and has a great body (which we see frequently as she spends much of the movie naked), so even if bondage isn't your thing there's much to hold any straight man's attention throughout! O is introduced by her boyfriend Rene (the legendary Udo Kier) into the world of b and d, s and m, and suchlike. Initially reluctant to participate in these sex games she begins to blossom. Rene "gives" her to the sophisticated Sir Stephen (Anthony Steel, a major British star of the 1940s and 1950s), and O eventually finds herself falling in love with the older man. This is a generally well acted movie with lots of visual style and a haunting score by Pierre Bachelet. 'The Story Of O' has aged much better than one might assume and is worth a look, even if it is just to drool at Ms. Clery and marvel at how young and fresh faced Udo Kier looks in it!